Automatic brake-block.



No. 627,948. Patented lime 27, I899.

H. N. WOOD.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE' BLOCK.

{Application filed .nm. is, 1899. N o M o d a l ATENT 1: met.

HENRY NEW'TON IVOOD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AUTO-MATIC- BRAKE BLOCK.

sr'ncirronrroiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,948, dated June27,1899.

Application filed January 1 3 1 8 9 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY NEWTON WOOD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticBrake-Blocks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic brake-blocks of theclass set forth in my previous application, Serial No. 692,039, filedSeptember 27, 1898.

My present invention may be considered an improvement on theconstruction set forth in said application; and it consists of thefeatures hereinafter described and claimed, all of which may be fullyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which isillustrated the embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l'is a side elevation of my improved apparatus,the brakebeam being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same.Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line to :20, Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in theseviews, let the numeral 5 designate the brake-beam, to which is securedthe wedge 6 by means of bolts 7. This wedge is provided with two facesrearwardlyinclined from a central point. In the central front portion ofthe wedge 6 is journaled an antifrictional roller 8, which engages agroove formed in the adjacent face of the shoe 9, which is also providedwith cooperatinginclined facesextending parallel with and engaging thefaces of the wedge.

The journals of the roller engage open bearings in the wedge, wherebythe roller maybe readily detached when the shoe is removed.

The hearings in the wedge for the journals of the roller should be madeof chilled steel. The shoe is supported in operative relation withthewedge by means of a spring 10, one extremity of which is secured tothe wedge Serial No. 702,080. (No model.)

by a bolt 7, while the other extremity is connected with the shoe by abolt 12.

To apply the brake, it is only necessary to shift the brake-beam towardthe wheel 13 until the shoe 9 is brought in contact therewith. The brakeis then applied automatically by the friction of the wheel, which causesthe shoe to-move either up or down, according to the direction of thewheels rotation, whereby the shoe is forced against the wheel by awedging action. During the brake-setting operation the roller 8 travelsin the groove of the brake-shoe. This antifrictional connectiondiminishes the friction between the wedge and the brake-shoe, while theengagement of the roller with the groove prevents lateral displacementof the shoe.

The spring 10 yields sufficiently to allow the brake-shoe the necessarybrake-setting movement. As soon as the shoe is released from the wheelby the reverse movement of the brake-beam the recoil of the springreturns the shoe to its normal position.

It must be understood that I do not limit the invention to the detailsof construction herein shown, as I am aware that many changes maybe madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a suitable support arranged to move back and forth in a horizontalplane according as the brake is to be applied or released, of a shoehaving two rearwardly-inclined faces, a wedge mounted on the saidsupport and having correspondingly-inclined cooperating faces engagingthe faces of the shoe, an antifrictional device mounted on one part andengaging a groove or way formed in the other part, the shoe beingmovable on the wedge while the latter is relatively stationary andarranged to set the brake when the wheel is turned in either direction,andsuitable means for maintaining the shoe inoperative relation with thewedge.

. 2. The combination with a suitable support arranged to move back andforth in a horizontal plane, of a shoe having two rearwardlyinclinedfaces, a wedge mounted on the said support and havingcorrespondiugly-inclined cooperating faces engaging the faces of theshoe, and a roller journaled in one part and engaging a groove formed inthe other part, the shoe being movable on the Wedge while the latter isrelatively stationary.

3. The combination with a suitable brakebeam of a shoe having tworearwardly-inclined faces, of a wedge mounted on the brakebeam andhaving correspondingly-inclined cooperating faces engaging the faces ofthe shoe, and a roller journaled in open bearings formed in one part andengaging a groove formed in the other part, the shoe being movable onthe wedge while the latter is relatively stationary.

4. The combination with a movable brakebeam, of a wedge made fastthereon, a shoe engaging the wedge and movable thereon, the wedge andthe shoe having each two rearwardly-inclined cooperating faces divergingfrom a central. point, one of the said parts being provided with arollerengagingaguidegroove formed in the other part, and suitable meansfor returning the shoe to its normal position after each braking action.

5. The combination with a movable brakebeam, of a wedge made fastthereon, a shoe engaging the wedge and movable thereon, the wedge andthe shoe having each two rear wardly-inclined cooperating faces, one ofthe said parts being provided with a roller engaging a-guide-grooveformed in the other part, and suitable means for returning the shoe tothe normal position after each braking action, comprising a springattached to the shoe at one extremity and to the wedge at the oppositeextremity.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY NEWTON WVOOD.

